Robinsons owes S$32m to creditors; largest claims from landlords, employees

DEPARTMENT store Robinsons Singapore, which is now under provisional liquidation, owes S$31.7 million to 442 creditors, with some of the largest amounts due to its landlords and employees.

According to a notice released by the provisional liquidator on Wednesday, Robinsons owes Swee Cheng Holdings, the landlord of its flagship outlet at The Heeren, S$7.2 million. It also apparently owes Lendlease Retail Investment 3 S$4.2 million. The landlord operates Jem shopping mall, which Robinsons exited in August.

It has also put potential employee claims at about S$4.4 million. The Business Times (BT) reported earlier this week that some 11 former employees of Robinsons have approached the Ministry of Manpower and the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management for help over the payment of retrenchment benefit, salary-in-lieu of notice and encashment of unconsumed annual leave.

Other creditors with claims in the tens of thousands of dollars include mattress brands such as Simmons, Sealy, Serta and Tempur.

The notice also states Robinsons as owing the Singapore Press Holdings, which publishes BT, nearly S$60,000.

A creditors' meeting will be held online on Nov 26, at 2pm. Creditors have until Nov 25, 4pm to submit their proof of debt or proxy form to the provisional liquidators at KordaMentha to be eligible to vote at the meeting.